Tesla’s holiday update adds TikTok and ‘Sonic’ to its infotainment system

Tesla’s big holiday update for the year has started making its way to the automaker’s fleet of electric vehicles, and it adds quite a large list of improvements and new features. For those addicted to scrolling on TikTok, perhaps the biggest addition is the TikTok app on Tesla Theater. According to the update notes posted by Electrek, they’ll now be able to scroll the platform’s short-form videos — on repeat, if they want — right on their vehicle’s screen, so long as their car is parked. 

In Toybox, owners will now also find the Light Show feature that Tesla introduced as an Easter Egg on the Model X back in 2015. For the Model X, a choreographed light show includes both flashing lights and opening falcon wing doors, but other models will have to make do with the former. Tesla has made its app launcher customizable, letting owners drag and drop their favorite apps onto the bottom menu bar. It’s also simplifying navigation to make most the common primary controls, such as charging and windshield wipers, easier to access.

To automatically see a live camera view of their blind spot when they activate their turn signal, drivers can activate the new “Automatic Blind Spot Camera” option under Autopilot in Controls. Plus, drivers can now edit Waypoints to add stops or to initiate new navigation routes with updated arrival times. The holiday bundle has updates that fit the season, as well, including automatic seat heating that can regulate the front row seat temperatures based on the cabin environment, along with other cold weather improvements. 

In addition, drivers can now delete dashcam clips directly from the touchscreen and hide map details to remove distractions if they want. Finally, in the entertainment department, Tesla has added Sonic the Hedgehog and Sudoku to its Arcade — though we strongly suggest playing any Arcade game only while parked. Earlier this month, The New York Times reported that Tesla allowed drivers to play some games in moving cars, a concern that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is discussing with the company. The agency told Engadget in a statement: “Distraction-affected crashes are a concern, particularly in vehicles equipped with an array of convenience technologies such as entertainment screens. We are aware of driver concerns and are discussing the feature with the manufacturer.”